Spray type washing machine



Jan. 19, 1954 D. BECHTOL SPRAY TYPE WASHING MACHINE Filed March 11, 1952INVENTOR L4 LEWIS D. Bzu-rroL ATTORNEYS Patented .Ian. 19, 1954 UNITED.STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRAY TYPE WASHING MACHINE Lewis Dwight Bechtol,Burket, Ind.

Application March 11, 1952, Serial No. 275,963

- 1 Claim.

1 This invention relates to spray type washing machines and moreparticularly to a machine for, washing objects, such as eggs.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved spraytype washing machine which is adapted to receive a basket of objects,

such as eggs, and wash the objects while contained in the basket; whichhas an open top and "a height such that loaded baskets can beconveniently placed in and removed from the machine; which directssprays of cleaning liquid in large volume and at moderate pressureagainst objects in a basketdisposed in the machine;

which is electrically operated'and substantially automatic in operation;which automatically maintains a predetermined temperature of thecleaning liquid; and which is simple and durable in construction,economical to manufacture, easy to use, and efiective and eflicient inoperation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a considerationof the following description and the appended claim in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing wherein: V

Figure l is a top plan view of a washing machine illustrative of theinvention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view on the line 22 of Figure1; and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a somewhat modifled form of washingmachine.

With continued reference to the drawing, the washing machine comprises ashell, generally inv dicated at I0, having an annular side wall IIadapted to be disposed in upright position and which may be either ofcylindrical shape, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, or of polygonalshape, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The side wall II is open at its upper end and its open upper end issurrounded by a rolled reinforcing bead I2 disposed at the outer side ofthe side wall. A bottom wall I3, of circular shape in the form of theinvention shown in Figures 1 and 2, and of polygonal shape in the formshown in Figure 3, is disposed in the shell II) at the bottom end of thelatter substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal center line ofthe shell and is marginally connected to the side wall II at the bottomend of the latter. In the arrangement illustrated,;the, bottom wall I3is provided with a downwardly extending marginal flange I4 and thisflange and the side wall II are apertured to,

receive belts or screws I5 by means of which the suitable means, such aswelding or soldering, to provide a leakproof joint between the partitionwall I6 and the side wall I I of the shell. The partition wall I6 andtheportion of the side wall II above this partition wall togetherconstitute a washing tank.

A liquid pump I1 is disposed between the bottom wall I3 and thepartition wall I6 with its outlet fitting I8 substantially concentricwith the center line of the shell I0 and is mounted on the bottom wallI3. In the arrangement illustrated, a base plate I9 is mounted on thebottom wall I3 at the upper side of thelatter and secured to the bottomwall by suitable means, such as the bolts 20 and the base 2| of the pumpis mounted on the base plate I9 and secured thereto.

An electric motor 22 is mounted on the base plate I9 at a locationspaced from the pump I1 and the motor shaft is connected to the pumpshaft by means including the flexible coupling 23 of a construction wellknown to the art.

The partition wall I6 is provided with a flanged aperture, as indicatedat 24, adjacent the side wall II and a pipe 25 extends through thisaperture and is provided at its upper end with an annular, externalflange 26 which is sealed to the flange of the aperture, as indicated at27. A flanged coupling '28 is threaded onto the pipe 25 at the bottomside of the partition wall I6, so that the flange of the aperture in thepartition wall is clamped between the flange 26 and the coupling 28 tomaintain a tight and leakproof joint between the pipe 25 and thepartition wall I6. An

elbow fitting 29 is secured to the bottom end of the pipe 25 and a pipe30 connects the elbow fltting 29 to the inlet 3| of the pump I1 toreturn water from the tank 32 in the upper portion of the shell to theinlet of the pump.

A hollow header 33 extends through and is secured to the partition wallI 6 substantially at the center of the latter, and is closed at itsupper end,

a pipe nipple 34 connects the open bottom end of the header 33 to theoutlet I8 of the pump II, so that water or other cleaning liquidreturned to the pump through the pipes 25 and 3D is forced by the pumpthrough the pipe nipple 34 into the header 33. v

A plurality of spray pipes, as generally indicated at 35, are disposedin the tank 32, each of these pipes being of rectangular shape andhaving two legs, as indicated at 36 and 31, disposed substantially atright angles to each other. The leg 36 of each spray pipe is connectedat its distal end to the header 33 and these legs of the several spraypipes radiate from the header 33 toward the side wall i I of the tank atsubstantially equal angular intervals around the header and spaced fromand substantially parallel to the partition plate I6. The legs 31 of theseveral spray pipes extend upwardly from the proximal ends of the legs36 and upstand along and spaced from the inner surface of the side wallII. The legs 31 terminate short of the top end of the side wall II andare closed at their upper ends by suitable means, such as the screwplugs '38.

In the arrangement illustrated in the drawing, there are six spray pipesspaced apart at angular intervals of approximately SQdegrees around theheader 33, but it is to be understood that a diiferent number of spraypipes spaced apart at different angular intervals canbe used,

if desired, without in any way exceeding the scope of the invention.

The legs 36 of the spray pipes are provided in their sides remote fromthe partitionwall IS with aperturestfi spaced apart longitudinally of'theicorresponding legs '36 of the pipes and in the legs 3'! withapertures '40 spaced apart longitudinally of the corresponding legs 31,and in the sides of these legs remote from the side wall ll. Theseapertures 39 and 40 direct sp ays or jets of cleaning liquid upwardlyand inwardly of the bottom I3 and side wall I I or the tank 32, thapertures being of such size and of such number and the pump 11 being ofsuch "capacity that the liquid is delivered in large volume "and atamoderate pressure.

An electric heater 4| is disposed above the 4 form of the inventionshown in Figure 3 is the same as that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 anddescribed above.

In the use of the device, with the cleaning liquid at the propertemperature and the pump I! in operation, an open-work basket, such asthe wire mesh basket 51, loaded with eggs or other objects to becleaned, i placed in the tank 32 between thempstandingarmsjl :of thespray pipes 35 and left position until the spray,

forced through the basketand between the articles therein from theapertures 39 and 4|] in the spray pipes, has sufiiciently cleaned theartic'les, whereupon the basket is lifted out of the upper, endofthetank and, if desired, another loadedbasket placed in the machine.

The invention inay be embodied in other speciiicform without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects ,asillustrative and not restrictive,

. the scope of the invention being indicatedby the partition wall I6 andis mounted atone end in an aperture provided in the partition wall I6 bya suitable fitting 42. A secondfitting 43 is also mounted in an aperturein the partition Wall '18 adjacent the fitting 42 and connected to theheater, ll. A thermostat is disposed in the 'tank32 and mounted'atoneend in an aperture in the partition 'wall I 6 byv a fitting 45 and aswitch, '46 is mounted on the inner side of the side wall II below thepartition wall I6 andth thermostat 44 is connected to this switch 46 tooperate the switch. The thermostatic's'witch 36' can be set for apredetermined temperature by a handkn'ob, 41 mounted on a shaftextending from the switch 46 through an aperture in the side wall TIanda Wire 48. extends from the switch "4G through the fittin and "isjconnectedto one side offthe heajter element in the heater '4I.

One wire 49 of a, two-wire extension cord 15!) extends through thefitti'ng 43 and is connected to the other, side of theheater element inthe heater M, While the other wire 5i of the extension cord 56 isconnected to thejother side of the switch 4% from that, to which thewire 48 is connected.

With this arrangement, the thermostat (controls the heater III throughthe'switch 4B tomainrain cleaning liquid in the lower portion of thetank 32 siubstantially at a temperature preselooted by the thermostatadjusting handknob '41.

The wires of the extension coljdffl arebranch'ed and ledthroughamanually operated switch [.52

to the electric motor 22, so that operation of the motor is manuallycontrolled. If desired, however, the operation of the motor may also becontrolled b-ythe thermostatic switch 45, so that the motor cannot beplaced in operation unless the cleaning liquid in the tank 32 is at apredetermined'temperature. s V Except for having a side wall, ajsindicat'ed at 5.5, a bottom wall andfa parti'tion wall, whichcated at56, of polygonal shape, the modified appended claim rather than by theforegoing deseription, and all changes which'com'e within the meaningand rangeof equivalency of the. claim are, therefore, intended to beembraced therein.

What is claimed is:

Y A spray type washing machine comprising a shell adapted to be,disposed in upright position and having n n u de wall and n pe upperend, a'partitionwallin said'shell disposed substantially perpendicular,to the longitudinal center line of the shell andmarginally join'edftosaid side wall intermediate the height 'ofthe latter, said partitionwall'andtheportion'of said side wall abovej's'aid partition wallconstituting a tank,. a motor driven pump disposed n said shell belowsaid partition w n, a pipe secured at one end tofsaid jpartition wallfandextending through, the latter'andconnected at its other-end 1 tothefinl'et of saidjp'umofa header extending through said partition jwallsubstantially centrally thereof and having its upper end closed and itslower end connected to the outlet ofsaid pump, and spray pipes of rightangular "shape connected each at one/end to said header. and havingportions. radiating f'rdm 'said header "toward said side wall at;substantially equaljan'gular intervals and portions upstanding along theihnerfsid'e of said 'side 'wal1,js'aid spray pipes having their"endsfrjernr'ite' from said'header closed and'having perforations spacedapart'lo'ngitudinall'y thereof for directing liquid spray upwardly fromsaid partition w'allfand inwardly rmin said s ide wan, a heater disposedin, said tank adjacent said partition wall, a thermostat extendingthrough said partition wallinto, said tank,

and aswitch actuated by, said thermostat and controlling "said heater'to maintain liquidin said tank ,Tsub'sta'nti'ally at .a predeterminedtemperature, said 'side'wallibeingof polygonalshape and said partitionwallfals'o being of polygonal shape and "closely fitting the interior of"said side 'wall.

